Recruiters love candidates who know themselves well. They appreciate candidates who can outline how they function in a team. It helps them to gauge whether you are a good fit for the open position. Make it easy for the recruiter. Make it easy for you. Get to know yourself. Don‘t worry, no need to agonize about your life’s choices or stare into your soul’s abyss. The tools presented here are playful and fun to do. The next step is to…
Seven reasons not to work for a startup as a fresh graduate
At some point during your jobhunt, you might be asking: Should I work for a startup company as a fresh graduate? Here are seven main drawbacks of beginning your career at a startup company. Job security is low in a startup Even for employees with a permanent contract, job security with a startup is not very high. It is a fact, that many startups fail or temporary run out of funding forcing them to cut staff. Be aware: Neither charismatic…
Eight reasons to work for a startup as a fresh graduate
At some point during your jobhunt, you might be asking: Should I work for a startup company as a fresh graduate? Here are the eight main advantages of beginning your career at a startup. You will gain a wealth of experience working for a startup Working in a startup, you are able to get not only work experience but to gain very diverse work experience. Chances are you will work in several departments of the company. Also, you may work…
Not knowing is the new knowing
“Knowledge is power” is a familiar quotation attributed to Sir Francis Bacon a philosopher of the renaissance period. To a certain degree, this still holds true today. But in our time it is not that simple any more. Today, we have to deal with a lot of uncertainty and lack of knowledge. This is why not knowing and managing this lack of knowledge well is the new superpower. What we do know We have more knowledge than ever before We…
Four surefire signs you are a geek
Have you ever asked yourself: Could it be me? Am I a geek? Or is everybody else weird? Don’t wonder any more. Here are four surefire signs that tell you whether you are a geek. You think everybody knows about the model organism you study This happened to me when I was a fresh life science graduate. I interviewed for a job in front of a mixed audience of scientists, engineers and medical doctors. When I talked about my master…
How go give a great talk – three tips for PhD students from the book “As we speak“
Presenting and public speaking is undoubtedly one of your tasks as a PhD student. Most of us just try to survive it somehow. The book “As we speak” shows the reader how to make the most of your presentation. It also makes preparing your presentation much less daunting. I recommend reading “As we speak” to everyone who has to present. This book is a great read and contains helpful tips and strategies to present well and get your point across.…
Five surprising facts I learned about myself doing a PhD
During your PhD you undoubtedly learn a lot. Your build your expertise in the subject and even contribute to the knowledge in your field. But it does not stop there. You might even learn something you did not expect to learn. I learned some things about myself I did not think I would. Some of it might echo with you as well. Here are five surprising facts I learned about myself doing a PhD. I discovered some hidden talents Most…
Should I work for a staffing agency as an academic? – Pros and Cons
Should I work for a temp agency or staffing company? Many graduates ask themselves this question at some point in their career. This is not an easy to answer question. Especially since most of us are unfamiliar with the topic before the question pops up in their lives. Here I list some pros and cons to help you make an informed decision. First, what exactly are staffing agencies or temp agencies? These companies recruit employees and supply their clients, other…
Top five tools for scientific writing
Scientific writing is hard graft, but there are resources that can help you. Whether you are writing you thesis, dissertation, or research paper, you know you should write in a clear and concise way with the reader in mind. Still, sometimes you can be stuck. With the following five tools, scientific writing will be easier, better, and more importantly, more fun. Academic phrasebank Connecting your sentences and arguments in a logical order is important. Besides, the appropriate use of transitional…
Six takeaways from Steven Johnson‘s book “Where good ideas come from“ for group leaders
Steven Johnson‘s book titled “Where good ideas come from“ tells the reader exactly that – where good ideas come from. The enjoyable read touches on many aspects of work, life and natural history. As an academic or research group leader you are in the business of good ideas. Thus, some aspects of this book might be especially interesting for you. Here are the six most relevant takeaways for group leaders: Create the right environment Create the right environment for good…